Spirited There and Back
by Aralechan2000
Summary: It's been years since Chihiro has been to the spirit world. Now she's seen Haku and proved that what happened to her was real. But he disappeared and Chihiro isn't the only one who can't seem to figure out why. A journey through the spirit world helps her find Haku, herself, and new spirit friends who help Chihiro realize who she us and why.


_Don't leave me. I don't want to be alone. The voice echoed as Chihiro grabbed onto his arm. Everything she had seen flashed behind her eyes but she held back her tears and clenched her fingers harder. Don't leave me. I don't want to be alone._

Chihiro sat bolt upright in her bed. Her clock said 8:00. Her eyes felt heavy and her nose twitched with a sneeze. She looked out her window; from here she could see the bright red clock tower and a sparkling blue river. The sky was iridescent blue- except some dark clouds in the distance- and the air was thin and crisp. The autumn air was cold and the trees had turned pail hues of gold and red but the grass was still bright green. There was still two hours until she had to be at the University for her morning classes. She got out of bed and pulled on her red leggings and long white sweater-dress and lime green bracelets, fully aware she looked like Christmas. She grabbed her messenger bag and boots and slid down the banister to the living room and landed with a resounding _ga-thunk._

"Good morning, Chihiro," called her mother from the kitchen. "What would you like for breakfast? Eggs? Oatmeal?"

"Um, I think I'll just have some toast then head out a little early. Can I take the car?"

"You really ought to eat more than that," said her mother, disapprovingly pointing a spatula at her.

"Yeah, okay, but can I take the car?" Chihiro asked. Her mother shook her head.

"I'm sorry honey, but your father took it to work, you're going to have to take the train," replied her mother said empathetically. Chihiro slumped down in a wooden chair around the clean table. She sure as heck did not want to take the train. It didn't seem…_right._ When she looked out the windows she didn't see clear blue water and endless blue sky, instead she saw drab gray buildings and smog filled skies.

"Okay, I guess I'll do that," she said mournfully. Standing up, she walked towards the front door.

"What about your toast?" called her mother after her. Chihiro pretended she couldn't hear. "At least take your umbrella! It looks like rain." Chihiro took the clear plastic umbrella from the stand by the door and pulled on her boots. She adjusted her bag and began to walk towards the crowded station. The blue skies from earlier were long gone. A few raindrops hit her face and she opened her umbrella with a _pop_!

Chihiro stood patiently in front of the yellow line, surrounded by strangers. The gilded, old-timey clock hit 8:45 just as the train rumbled into the clean kept station. The doors opened with a smooth hiss and they all stepped forward. A familiar black blob sat at the end of the train car, "No Fa-!" she exclaimed hurrying forward then stopping as she realized it was just a warped reflection in the glass, "-ce." She sighed in defeat. "No Face." She murmured, ignoring the scared looks on bystanders' faces.

She stood holding onto the ring dangling down from the ceiling. She held a paperback novel and stared at the pages but she wasn't actually reading, the words were just markings on the page, they didn't mean anything. She felt the uncomfortable itch of someone looking at her. She looked around the train but nobody seemed to be looking at her. They were all immersed in her own stupid lives, she thought childishly. A cool female voice announced her stop and she stepped off the train. Now she was absolutely certain someone was looking at her.

She looked around. The only person in sight in the quiet train stop was a man with shoulder length hair in a suit. He looked over at her and she looked back, startled that someone had actually made eye contact with her. His eyes were sharp but soft and deep hazel. His mouth curved in a hesitant smile.

Her eyes widened and she felt a shiver rush through her body. "H-haku!" she tried to yell but it came out as a choked whisper. His smile faded and he gave a small, almost imperceptible, nod. She ran forward with her arms in front of her, like she was blind, she couldn't see but she knew he was there. They stood in front of each other. Time was frozen for a second, everything stood still, their hair floated around their faces. Haku reached out to touch Chihiro's face. Before he could touch her cheek his face contorted and he disappeared. Chihiro drew a deep, fevered breath.

Instead of it becoming blurrier, her time in the spirited world had become _clearer_. Which made her even more certain it couldn't be real. But right in front of her a minute ago had been proof that it was real. But now. . .

Haku was _gone._

**A/N: Wow, I'm tired. It's so late where I live and I can't function when I'm tired but I had to write this. Hope you enjoyed, please review.**


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